The Effects of Oscillatory Biofield Therapy on Pain and Functional Limitations Associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Study.

OBJECTIVES: Biofield treatments have been used for pain control in patients with cancer and chronic pain. However, research on the effect of biofield treatment on specific somatic disorders is lacking. This study intends to investigate the effect of oscillating biofield therapy (OBFT) on symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

DESIGN: Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study.

PARTICIPANTS: Thirty patients with chronic carpal tunnel syndrome participated in the study.

INTERVENTION: Patients were randomly assigned to active or placebo treatment groups. Those in the treatment group received six sessions of OBFT with intention to treat during a period of 2 weeks. Patients in the placebo group had the same number of treatment sessions with mock OBFT treatment.

OUTCOME MEASURE: The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire; Symptom Severity Scale (SSS); and Functional Status Scale (FSS) were used for outcome assessment.

RESULTS: Both clinically and statistically significant changes in intensity of pain with activity (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.5-4.2; p = 0.000), night pain (p = 0.000, 95% CI, 3.2-5.7), DASH questionnaire (95% CI, 12.0-21.9; p = 0.000), SSS (95% CI, 0.64-1.15; p = 0.003), and FSS (95% CI, 0.41-0.97; p = 0.029) were found between the treatment and placebo groups. Statistically significant reduction in number of patients with positive results on the Phalen test (87%; p = 0.000), Tinel sign (73%; p = 0.000), and hand paresthesia (80%; p = 0.000) was noted in the treatment group. During 6-month follow-up, 86% of patients in the treatment group remained pain free and had no functional limitations.

CONCLUSION: OBFT can be a viable and effective treatment for improving symptoms and functional limitations associated with chronic carpal tunnel syndrome.

PMID: 27487406 DOI: 10.1089/acm.2016.0083